# XX: Otter and His Folk Come Into Mid-Mark explained — The House of the Wolfings

> Chapter companion for The House of the Wolfings by William Morris.

## What happens

Otter leads his host along Mirkwood-water, crossing Battleford and entering Mid-Mark, where they see smoke rising from the burning Bearing Hall. They pass dwellings of kindreds, gather reinforcements including old warriors and young lads, and prepare to engage the Romans near the ford, with Otter rallying his men to fight rather than flee.

## Themes in this chapter

### Honor and Heroism

Otter's men choose to fight rather than flee, and the old warrior sings of battle glory, embodying the heroic ethos.

### Sacrifice and Loss

The burning of the Bearing Hall and the loss of 120 men highlight the cost of war.

### Tribal Identity and Kinship

The host gathers kindred from various Houses, and the swains and maid swim the river to join their kin, emphasizing tribal bonds.

## Character check-ins

### Otter

Leads the host, wise in war, decides to fight the Romans and aims to thrust between them and the ford.

### Hrosshild

Her tale of the burning is confirmed by the smoke column seen by the host.

### Thiodolf

Mentioned by Otter as being in risk of undoing if they do not fight wisely.

## Key lines

> Now Otter had lost of his men some hundred and twenty slain or grievously hurt, and they had away with them the hurt men and the bodies of the slain.

Otter's force suffered about 120 casualties, and they carried away both the wounded and the dead.

_Highlights the cost of the skirmish._

> So he stayed his company when they were about two furlongs from them, and the main body of the foe stirred not, but horsemen and slingers came forth from its sides and made on toward the Goths, and in three or four minutes were within bowshot of them.

Otter halted his men about 400 meters from the Romans, who sent out horsemen and slingers that quickly came within arrow range.

_Describes the tactical positioning before the skirmish._

> Men of the Goths, will ye mount your horses again and ride into the wood and let it cover you, or will ye fight these Romans?

Otter asks his men whether they will retreat into the forest or stand and fight the Romans.

_Otter's rallying call to choose battle over flight._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_house_of_the_wolfings_se/chapters/xx-otter-and-his-folk-come-into-mid-mark
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